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Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures, now under David Ellison's Skydance leadership, is aggressively rebuilding its theatrical slate around high-concept IP, four-quadrant franchises, and a target of 15 films per year.
Current mandate
Paramount Pictures is in the middle of a structural reset. David Ellison completed an $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance, taking control of the studio's film franchises and installing a new strategic direction that trade press describes as a deliberate departure from the mid-scale, prestige-adjacent programming of previous leadership. The mandate is now squarely focused on high-level IP, four-quadrant family franchises, and tentpole sequels with proven audience bases. Ellison has publicly stated a goal of producing 20 films per year, with an accelerated timetable to reach 15 films by next year, signaling a volume-and-scale approach that marks a significant shift for the studio.
Acquisition activity over the past 12 months reflects this pivot in concrete terms. Less than a month after the Skydance deal closed, Paramount signed with Activision to develop a live-action Call of Duty feature, with Taylor Sheridan and Peter Berg attached to write and Berg set to direct. The studio has also greenlit Heart Eyes 2, a horror-romance sequel budgeted under $25 million, through its Spyglass partnership, and secured a first-look producing deal with Jon M. Chu. The release slate through 2027 is dense with franchise installments: Scream 7, Scary Movie 6, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, TMNT: Mutant Mayhem 2, Angry Birds Movie 3 (taken over from Sony), Meet the Parents 4, and PAW Patrol 3. A planned darker, adult-oriented Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin adaptation has been moved to the backburner, underscoring the studio's preference for broader family appeal over niche genre fare. Star Trek has been identified by a top talent agent as the immediate tentpole priority for franchise reset.
Material reaches Paramount primarily through established agency relationships, producer attachments, and IP-licensing partnerships with major rights holders such as Activision. The studio's partnership with Warner Music Group represents a documented, named avenue for projects based on performing artists, making it one of the few publicly stated pathways for new material. A first-look deal with Jon M. Chu also signals that filmmaker-driven projects with commercial pedigree can find a home here. No unsolicited pathway is documented in tracked deal activity; every observed acquisition has moved through a named partner, rights holder, or established talent relationship.
Signature peaks
- 15-20 Films/Year Annual Output Target — Ellison has publicly stated a goal of 20 films per year, with a timetable to reach 15 by next year.
- 7 Sequels Dated Franchise Slate Through 2027 — Scream 7, Sonic 4, Scary Movie 6, TMNT 2, Angry Birds 3, Meet the Parents 4, and PAW Patrol 3 are all on the calendar.
- Music Artist IP WMG Partnership — A named partnership with Warner Music Group opens a documented pathway for projects based on performing artists.
Mandate dimensions
- Genre focus
- Not disclosed
- Territory focus
- Not disclosed
- Budget tier (observed)
- Not disclosed
- Access pattern
- Every tracked acquisition at Paramount has moved through a named talent agency, established producer relationship, IP-licensing arrangement, or studio partnership. The Warner Music Group collaboration is a publicly named, checkable program specifically scoped to projects based on performing artists, and represents the most concrete documented pathway for new material entering the studio outside of franchise development.
- Deal structure
- Paramount operates primarily through theatrical distribution rights acquisitions, franchise IP licensing deals, first-look producing agreements with filmmakers, and co-production arrangements with partners such as Spyglass; deal terms are rarely disclosed publicly, with budgets ranging from under $25 million for genre sequels to tentpole scale for major franchise installments.
Recent acquisitions
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Call of Duty (live-action feature film adaptation)
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First-look producing deal with Jon M. Chu
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Heart Eyes 2
Spyglass' Heart Eyes 2 is getting a release of Feb. 11, 2028 through Paramount
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Here Be Monsters
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Regretting You
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Scary Movie 6
Market context
With an $8 billion Skydance merger closed and a Call of Duty film already in development, Paramount is executing the most ambitious franchise reset in its recent history.
Paramount Pictures is in the middle of a structural reset. David Ellison completed an $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance, taking control of the studio's film franchises and installing a new strategic direction that trade press describes as a deliberate departure from the mid-scale, prestige-adjacent programming of previous leadership. The mandate is now squarely focused on high-level IP, four-quadrant family franchises, and tentpole sequels with proven audience bases. Ellison has publicly stated a goal of producing 20 films per year, with an accelerated timetable to reach 15 films by next year, signaling a volume-and-scale approach that marks a significant shift for the studio.
Common questions about Paramount Pictures
Does Paramount Pictures accept unsolicited scripts?
No unsolicited pathway is documented in ScriptMatch's tracked deal activity for Paramount. Every observed acquisition has moved through a named partner, rights holder, established talent relationship, or IP-licensing arrangement. The one publicly named open avenue is the Warner Music Group partnership, which is specifically scoped to projects based on performing artists. Writers without representation should focus on attaching a producer or securing agency representation before approaching the studio.
What budget range does Paramount Pictures work at?
Paramount's current mandate skews toward tentpole-scale productions and proven franchise IP, consistent with a studio targeting 15 to 20 theatrical releases per year. The Heart Eyes 2 greenlight, budgeted under $25 million through the Spyglass partnership, shows the studio will also move on lower-budget genre sequels when a franchise is already established. Mid-scale, non-IP-driven films are explicitly described in trade coverage as outside the current strategic direction under David Ellison.
What festivals does Paramount source films from?
ScriptMatch's tracked deal data does not show a consistent festival acquisition pattern for Paramount in the current cycle. The studio's recent activity is dominated by franchise sequels, IP-licensing deals, and first-look producer arrangements rather than festival pickups. Paramount's scale and focus on four-quadrant theatrical releases means its primary sourcing routes are agency packages, rights acquisitions from major IP holders, and development deals with established filmmakers rather than festival discovery.
How do I get my script in front of Paramount Pictures?
The most documented route is through a talent agent or established producer with an existing studio relationship. Paramount's first-look deal with Jon M. Chu and its Activision partnership for Call of Duty illustrate that projects typically arrive via named talent attachments or rights-holder agreements. The Warner Music Group partnership is a specific, publicly stated avenue for projects tied to performing artists. No open submission portal or unsolicited pathway is documented in current tracked activity.
What genres is Paramount Pictures currently acquiring?
Paramount's current mandate centers on high-concept IP-based action, family-friendly four-quadrant franchises, and horror sequels with proven audience bases. Recent acquisitions include the live-action Call of Duty adaptation (action), Scary Movie 6 (horror-comedy), Heart Eyes 2 (horror-romance), and Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (family). Trade coverage notes a deliberate move away from darker, adult-oriented takes, with the shelving of TMNT: The Last Ronin cited as a concrete example of that shift.
Is Paramount Pictures currently active in the market?
Yes. ScriptMatch tracks 191 total records for Paramount over the past 12 months and 221 decision makers, with the latest signal dated September 2026. The studio is actively developing multiple franchise sequels dated through 2027, closed a first-look deal with Jon M. Chu, and moved quickly on the Call of Duty adaptation within weeks of the Skydance merger closing. The pace of announced projects reflects Ellison's stated goal of significantly increasing annual output.
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